DFA: PHL ‘looking into’ possible Duterte-Trump meeting this year Featured

Foreign Affairs Acting Secretary Enrique Manalo said they were looking into a possible meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, within the year.

"Well, it's being looked into... Well, at least, if during the East Asia Summit, or maybe even before. It's being looked at," Manalo said when asked in an interview aired on News To Go on Wednesday if "groundwork" for such a meeting was already being prepared.

Manalo added that apart from Trump, they would also invite other world leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin to the East Asia Summit in November. The Philippines' is this year's host of the ASEAN summit, after which the EAS is usually held.

"Iimbitahin naming lahat ng mga leaders especially on the EA Summit. So we hope they will attend. That will be in November this year," the acting DFA chief said.

The East Asia Summit, a regional leaders' forum for strategic dialogue and cooperation on key challenges facing the East Asian region, is set to be hosted by the Philippines in November.

The summit is held annually by leaders of 18 countries from the East Asia, Southeast Asian, and South Asian regions, as well as the US and Russia.

Last December, Duterte's special advisor, Christopher Go, said Trump had invited Duterte to visit the White House in 2017 during a "very engaging, animated" phone conversation.

Since assuming the presidency last year, Duterte has upended Philippine foreign policy by berating the United States, making overtures towards historic rival China and pursuing a new alliance with Russia. —GMA News